Swadlincote area residents facing lower district council tax rise than the rest of Derbyshire

South Derbyshire District Council residents will be handed the lowest council tax rise in the county.

The council has set the an increase in its precept of all districts at 1.5 per cent.

Almost all other districts have opted for the maximum £5 increase - they can pick 2.99 per cent or £5, whichever is higher.

It means residents in the Swadlincote area face a rise but not as much as other areas of the county.

Derbyshire residents now have a solid idea of how much extra they will be paying out for council tax this year, with all authorities setting increases.

Council tax bills in the city and county are increasing again this year in what has been a tough 12 months for household finances.

All of our councils, along with the police and fire services are setting increases, although for some this is more modest than those set last year.

Officials at each authority have made it clear that they are aware of the financial pressures of the pandemic but are mindful of their own budgets and the need to provide essential services. Many have described this as a balancing act.

Our annual council tax bills are set by several authorities – called precepting authorities – and the price we pay differs depending on the value of our properties, from Band A (the lowest) to Band H (the highest).

The average bill is typically based on Band D, although most residents live in lower bandings (typically A and B).

In Derby, most of your council tax bill goes to Derby City Council, which, as a unitary authority, provides most of the public services in the city – these are split in the county area. Portions of the council tax bill in the city also go to the Derbyshire police and fire services.

In the Derbyshire county area, most of the bill goes to Derbyshire County Council, followed by your local borough or district council, the police and fire services, in some areas a town council and numerous areas a parish council.

Money from our council tax bills pays for public health services (including Covid test, track and trace), road repairs, bin collections, street-lighting, leisure services, libraries, adult social care including care homes, children's services including adoption and foster care, along with vehicles, staff and officers and more technology for or fire and police forces.

This year, our payments are set to get the county and city more police officers, new fire stations and rebuilt and repaired roads and schools, all while our authorities must continue to make budget cuts and find new ways of raising money to pay for services.

Band D homeowners in the county area, living in either Amber Valley, Chesterfield, the Derbyshire Dales, Erewash and High Peak are seeing the largest increases in their overall bill in the coming year, at £55.27. This will differ if you have a town or parish council.

This is compared to £90.07 extra for Band D taxpayers in Derby.

This margin of difference between the county and city is down to the city council opting for a maximum increase of 4.99 per cent, compared to the county council's 2.5 per cent.

The area which will see residents paying the highest overall sum (including all precepting authorities) is the Derbyshire Dales with an average Band D tax bill (minus town and parish councils) of £1,923.21.

This is £55.20 more than the lowest paying area, which is Derby with £1,868.01 – despite it seeing the largest overall increase – and £51.31 more than South Derbyshire, which is the lowest paying district.

Here is how your precepting authorities handled their council tax decisions this year:

• Derbyshire County Council:

Derbyshire County Council increased its share of council tax by 2.5 per cent, which is £33.33 more for Band D taxpayers, to a precept of £1,387.07. One per cent of this will be spent specifically on adult social care services. Overall, this is half of the maximum level which central government allowed.

The authority has the option to use an additional two per cent increase next year to fund adult social care, which the council intends to do.

The past year's increase was two per cent, which was also aimed at funding adult social care services.

• Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner:

The county and city's police and crime commissioner, Hardyal Dhindsa, who, in partnership with the chief constable, oversees the police force, raised the precept for policing and support services by 6.62 per cent, which is £15 more for Band D taxpayers, to a precept of £241.60.

This is much less than the 12 per cent/£24 hike last year.

• Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service:

The county and city's fire service has agreed to raise its precept by 1.98 per cent, an increase of £1.54 for Band D taxpayers, to a precept of £79.27, the same increase as it levied last year.

Here are the council tax precepts for each Derbyshire district and borough council, with the percentage hike, value of that hike, total district or borough or city precept and the overall bill including county, police and fire. These will differ when including town and parish councils. Derby is included but does not have a district or borough precept.

• Amber Valley Borough Council: 2.91 per cent, £5, £176.53, £1,880.47

• Bolsover District Council: 2.75 per cent, £4.99, £186.28, £1,890.22

• Chesterfield Borough Council: 2.9 per cent, £5, £174.89, £1,878.83

• Derbyshire Dales District Council: 2.33 per cent, £5, £219.27, £1,923,21

• Erewash Borough Council: 2.61 per cent, £5, £196.59, £1,900.53

• High Peak Borough Council: 2.65 per cent, £5, £200.40, £1,904.34

• North East Derbyshire District Council: 1.95 per cent, £3.70, £193.35, £1,897.29

• South Derbyshire District Council: 1.5 per cent, £2.48, £167.96, £1,871.90

• Derby: 4.99 per cent, £73.53, £1,547.14, £1,868.01